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Post by rodeoclown on Aug 8, 2006 8:47:05 GMT -7
I'm using an FD II in the FM mode (at 18V - big difference to my ears) for my low gain overdrive, and I'm pretty happy with it. But I need something more compact for a small pedalboard. I had a Zendrive, but I wasn't crazy about it. I thought it colored the tone a bit too much for my taste. I'm thinking a Keeley BD2. Any other suggestions?
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Post by (8^D) on Aug 8, 2006 9:22:08 GMT -7
Keeley's BD-2 is a great option. Another to consider is the Fulltone OCD. Works really really well as a transparent low drive - like an amp just clipping. Very convincing in that capacity.
DW
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Post by Curt on Aug 8, 2006 9:45:34 GMT -7
+1 FOR THE kEELEY b-2, THAT AND MY rc bOOSTER IS ALL i NEED.
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 8, 2006 11:15:24 GMT -7
My opinions only! Keeley modded BD-2 much, much more transparent than the OCD. I like my King of Tone Better.
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Post by johnnyl on Aug 8, 2006 11:18:20 GMT -7
I noodled with the Barber Silver Ltd & the Direct Drive at a store last month. They are both "transparent" to my ears. The Ltd did the amp barely clipping thing perfectly. I ended up with the DD though since I was looking for a little more gain. GREAT bang for buck pedals IMO.
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Post by Lefty on Aug 8, 2006 14:11:09 GMT -7
Menatone Red Snapper.
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Post by Telemanic on Aug 8, 2006 14:45:47 GMT -7
Good call lefty!! iwas tryin to think of what i had that was ringin a bell, and thats it. Ive got a three knob early model, and its excellent lowish gain. Maybe to me not THE most transparent, but none the less, a keeper for ever. That is one of my go to pedals for a Z28. Still has some mids tho in it, if thats a concern, but not like a TS.
Transparent, ................humm, ..... That to me is becoming one of the most apparently subjective, terms in exsistance !! I see recomendations of pedals based on that, .... that i dont think are very transparent, and visa versa !! Go figure,
If someone was to like basically the OCD thing, i would recomend to try out a Lovepedal COT 50. Theres two versions, lower gain and a higher gain. To my ear it sounds like what fuller was trying to get to with the OCD, only its like a blanket came off. Maybe not for every amp tho ? And to me it's pretty darn Transparent, ...........Duh-ohh, that word again!!
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 8, 2006 15:19:24 GMT -7
The OCD puts too much of it's own sound into it for me to call it transparent. More of a low gain distortion pedal to me, but that's just me, YMMV!
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Post by Telemanic on Aug 8, 2006 15:45:06 GMT -7
That may be it Billyguitar, at high gains i started to really not like that pedal so much, but at lower settings, and in particular with regard to lowering the guitar volume i guess it conforms to "my" idea of transparent pretty darn good.
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Post by tjstrat on Aug 8, 2006 16:05:37 GMT -7
The Clark Gainster is my current fave. I can't seem to warm up to this darn Zen Drive, and the Clark sounds awfully like an honest to God overdriven amp to me.
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Post by ruger9 on Aug 8, 2006 16:08:50 GMT -7
The most transparent OD I've heard is the Barber Silver LTD. I personally prefer the black LTD, but that's just because it goes w/my amp better...
I've also heard good things re:"transparent" about the Barber/Clark Gainster.
Altho I gotta' say, the FD2 in FM, @ 18V, is also pretty transparent to my ears (I guess it depends on your setup, of course.)
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Post by rodeoclown on Aug 8, 2006 23:11:12 GMT -7
Wow! Great suggestions. I'm gonna ask the wife if I can get one of each. I'd forgotten about the Red Snapper. I tried it when I bought my FDII and really liked it. I only chose the FDII over it because of the boost, and now I hardly ever use it. I've got the newer 4 knob Hermida Mosferatu for high gain, and for me it's as good as it gets. I've also considered the Barber LTD, and I may have to take a drive to Boston to check it out. I also really liked the Reverend Drivetrain II I gave to my son , but I need a smaller pedal. Too many toys out there and too little time to play!
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Post by tjstrat on Aug 9, 2006 2:21:07 GMT -7
The Gainster looks to be a joint Mike Clark/Dave Barber project, so it may be in the LTD/Direct Drive camp. Just some further info...
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 9, 2006 3:58:49 GMT -7
The Reverend drivetrain is one of the better pedals I've ever heard. Until I got the King of Tone the Drivetrain was the best for me, gain off!
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Post by tjstrat on Aug 9, 2006 4:07:49 GMT -7
The Reverend drivetrain is one of the better pedals I've ever heard. Until I got the King of Tone the Drivetrain was the best for me, gain off! A few years back I got a call to do a fill in gig and brought a Milk Box compressor and my Drivetrain to the gig. Plugged into an ancient Quad Reverb that still had the remnants of mouse nests in it from when the owner had rescued it from his barn after several years. After the first set the bassist told me that whatever I was playing into the amp was the best tone he'd heard out of it... Not too metalish, not too thin. DT is really a very underrated pedal too, as are most of Joe Naylor's products.
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Aug 9, 2006 10:17:39 GMT -7
After hearing Jayson Chance with the Keeley BD-2 I got one and couldn't be happier. I also still love my Xotic RC Boost and King Of Tone. I have not "figured out" the Zendrive with my rig yet, and do not care for the OCD.
Just my opinion.
PDW
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Post by rodeoclown on Aug 9, 2006 13:18:48 GMT -7
Last chance to chime in on this one 'cause I'm gonna order something tomorrow. I want to keep it under $200, and I eliminated the Drivetrain because of the size. Here's the list:
Keeley BD2 Menatone Red Snapper (new smaller model)) Xotic AC Booster Barber Silver LTD Clark Gainster
Thanks for the help. I'm pretty sure I'd be happy with any of them, but making a final decision on just about anything is not one of my strong points.
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Aug 9, 2006 14:08:40 GMT -7
What amp(s) are you going to use with it? My Ghia loves the RC and BD-2; the 66, Z28 and Stingray love almost everything. The MAZ's seem to like the BD-2 in my rig.
PDW
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Post by rodeoclown on Aug 9, 2006 14:33:07 GMT -7
Right now I'm usually using either a Maz 38 2X12, or a Carr Rambler in small rooms. Old BF Fenders too. At some point I'm planning on getting a Maz Jr. I've got to say that the Barber Silver LTD for $125 is looking pretty good.
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Post by bks on Aug 9, 2006 15:06:18 GMT -7
The Bluesberry edition Hot Cake is my transparent, low gain OD of choice. Very responsive to attack, maybe a little dark with humbuckers, but sweet as pie with my Tele and Maz Jr...
Brian
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Post by garyh on Aug 9, 2006 20:41:09 GMT -7
I have a timmy coming very soon. It's supposed to be a very transparent low to medium gain OD. I've said this before, and people may not believe me, but my Boss OD-3 is very transparent, a very underated overdrive.
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Post by tjstrat on Aug 10, 2006 8:09:04 GMT -7
Gainster. Worth a look. Right now it's hammerin' my Zen Drive...
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mdbeh
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by mdbeh on Aug 11, 2006 5:59:48 GMT -7
A Z.Vex Super Hard-On can work really nicely. It's handy for clean tones, too--it adds a sort of presence that can help a part cut through the track.
--Brian
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Post by guitarman1 on Aug 11, 2006 7:30:45 GMT -7
The Barber Silver LTD or Menatone Red Snapper are the most "transparent" lower gain ODs I've tried with Z amps, but none of them are completely transparent. I'm using the Red Snapper with my Stingray and like it allot. The Timmy is also transparent, but it "softens" my tone too much and the low end can get a bit flabby.
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Post by quinto on Aug 11, 2006 9:36:22 GMT -7
I would have to say the Keeley BD-2. It's pretty transparent and just plain sounds great. It's also very quiet.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2006 10:22:43 GMT -7
Xotic AC Booster or the Xotic BB preamp can do some great low overdrive sounds.
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Post by rodeoclown on Aug 22, 2006 23:29:36 GMT -7
I ended up buying nothing! I have a Zvex SHO that I hadn't used in a while and put it back on the board and now always keep it on at about 12 o'clock. I'd forgotten what a gem of a tone machine this little guy is. I started running my Bad Bob again at 9V (dirtier), and with the master volume control on my Maz 38 I've gotten just what I was looking for. And Billyguitar, I got my Reverend Drivetrain II back from my son, and he's not getting it back! It really makes me think about this ongoing search for that holy grail of overdrive pedals. After getting the Reverend back, I'm now wondering about all the pedals I've gotten rid of through the years.
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Aug 23, 2006 2:50:10 GMT -7
Ditto on the Xotic AC booster.
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Post by southpawtone on Aug 23, 2006 19:20:37 GMT -7
From the clips i've heard, the Super Hard-on sounds like a great pedal. Hey, at least you didnt have to spend more money on another overdrive pedal. I think you should still try out the new 4 knob Red Snapper. I've had mine for 4-5 months now. Best overdrive i've played so far. Very versatile too. Brian says when you turn the Cut knob and the Bite knob all the way down, it's a pure transparent boost. I'd have to agree.
Luke
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Post by steveinnashville on Aug 24, 2006 0:28:52 GMT -7
The Hotcake (and currently Hotcake Bluesberry) has been my Carmen Ghia's favorite pedal for years... I have a treble/booster fuzz and another booster, but the Hotcake is the OD pedal that I like the best with this amp.
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